Ahmad Zia Saraj
chief of the Afghan intelligence
Ahmad Zia Saraj (born March 11, 1978) was the last Director General of the National Directorate of Security from 2019 to 2021, until the collapse of the Islamic Republic. He served as the Deputy Director General, chief of counter terrorism department, deputy chief of foreign intelligence & counterintelligence and some other key positions in NDS respectively over 20 years after the fall of Taliban in 2001. He has been serving as visiting professor in the war studies department of the King's College London University since early 2023.
Early life
Ahmad Zia Saraj was born on March 11, 1978, in Kabul, Afghanistan, to a family with a military background. His father was a Brigadier General in the Afghan army. In early 2002, Ahmad Zia Saraj joined the National Directorate of Security (NDS) of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Over two decades, he served in various stages and roles within the organization until the collapse of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
Education
Ahmad Zia Saraj completed his high school graduation at Amani High School in Kabul and earned a level 7 degree (master's) in strategic management and leadership from the Chartered Management Institute in the United Kingdom. In 2012, he attended the Advanced Command and Staff Course at Shrivenham, followed by obtaining a master's degree in defense studies from King’s College London in 2013. Since 2023, Ahmad Zia Saraj has been a visiting professor at the school.
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